DIY Portraits

If you are an acting student needing a professional portrait photograph taken quickly, or you have a family reunion fast approaching and you want to have a family portrait done for memories' sake but your funds won't stretch that far -- don't fret because with your own digital camera and an existing light source you can do it yourself.

Instructions

Find an area of your home where you can easily set up your DIY photography studio. Use a spare room or choose an outdoor setting -- garden or another place within the natural landscape.

Drape a white or black cotton sheet across the wall from just below the ceiling to the floor to provide a professional plain and seamless background for your DIY photoshoot, if shooting your portrait photograph indoors. Attach the sheet to the wall with sellotape, masking tape or a staple gun. (Only use the staple gun if you don't mind damaging the plaster of the wall.) Stick the bottom of the sheet to the floor by pulling the sheet out from the wall so the sheet slopes outwards. (Use a roll of white or black paper as an alternative background.)

Use existing lighting that you have available -- ceiling lighting, table lamps, spot lights, candles or natural daylight -- to create a light source to take a natural-looking portrait. "Do you need to know digital photography solutions that bring professional photographers to where they are today? Well, The Top Secret Photography Techniques would help you out in doing so. To get spectacular pictures we primary want to look at some imperative photography methods. The preliminary one I am able to share with you is discover about light. You can discover every little thing concerning photography techniques on , The Top Secret Photography Techniques. Whenever you uncover about light and in what technique it interacts with the direct environment then your photos will get much better..". Play around with the effects of light by placing a lamp behind the subject or directing light behind the camera or alternatively from the side to be creative with your portrait photography.

Use backlighting when taking a photograph of a person out of doors -- this means the sun should be behind the subject and directed towards the camera -- so that the sun will not blind the subject. Avoid light falling directly on to the lens so that light doesn't flare the photo. Use a lens hood to provide shade to the camera lens. Play around with the direction of the sun, alternatively, to create the portrait effect you require as it is your photoshoot.

Use a high aperture of f/2.8 or f/1.4 if your digital camera can be set manually to allow more light into the lens. This gives more focus to your subject, creates a sharper image and blurs the background. Set your shutter speed to a moderate speed (which is measured in fractions of a second) between 1/125 to 1/500, allowing a sufficient light exposure into the lens of light to take the portrait photo. Note that most digital cameras will automatically do this for you or otherwise allow you to set the shutter speed, but the camera automatically sets the aperture for you. Set the digital film speed at ISO 100, which is suitable for daylight. Use a higher film speed if less light is available.

Put your camera on a tripod stand ideally, or sit your camera on a flat surface and at face level of your subject or subjects. Focus of the camera should be centered on the eyes of the subject essentially.

Decide on how to pose for the portrait photograph in a natural and comfortable way. Practice some poses in a mirror to be able to see what you want the camera to see in you in your do-it-yourself portrait. Place a seat or stool in between your studio background and the camera if you want to sit for the photograph, or choose to stand.

Decide on what you are going to wear for the portrait photograph. Wear a plain top without a collar or a designer logo if taking a photograph for an acting headshot to prevent your clothing distracting from the focus of your face. Don an outfit you feel smart but comfortable in for a family photoshoot. Apply make-up only if you do so in everyday life to show your natural look.

Set your self-timer to at least 10 seconds to allow you to get into position for your portrait photograph to be taken. Reset your timer and take a few shots to be able to select the best one to frame or print.

Upload your photographs to your computer via a FireWire or USB cable. Save your photographs for future use.

Select your best photograph and print off on photographic paper. Use your portrait photograph to find acting work, or if it is a family portrait insert the photograph into a frame to preserve and display the portrait photograph.

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